Education has changed a lot from the times of one-room schoolhouses to the present with schools like Los Altos High. In early middle America, most students didn't go to school year-round like present day, but it should also be noted that the reason summer vacation exists is that of the original education system. Most farmers back then would keep their kids on the farm if it would get busy. Since summer is the time of harvest, most kids wouldn't be going to school much, ergo, summer break. A difference between schools back in the 1800's and present day is the concepts taught. While there was still basic things like math and English, there was more of a focus on "Real Life" concepts. For example, in a link I have provided at the bottom of the page, rests examples of question from an 8th grade final in 1895. One of the later questions asks the student to fill out a receipt and a bank note. While these things today are more digital, it cannot be disproved that there aren't any "Real Life" Classes for things like doing taxes or managing money. The closest thing to that would be Autoshop, but that's been around for decades in most schools that can have it. There is also of course, the discrimination involved when looking at schools in the 1800's. The vast majority of Girls didn't go to school, as decided by their parents, and schools were also divided by race and religion. Finally, I want to mention how, for most middle class kids, the 8th, grade was their final year of education. Since High Schools which at the time were called grammar schools, were only in big cities and towns, and also expensive, most kids just didn't go. They would go on to become farmers, like their parents. Overall, education and how schools work is a lot better, but could be improved, mainly with the addition of "Real Life" topics. If I could take a class on how to manage money or how to invest properly, I would be all over that!
Sources:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2015/10/16/heres-the-famous-1895-eighth-grade-test-from-kansas-see-how-you-would-do/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.39ab33129624
http://mentalfloss.com/article/58705/11-ways-school-was-different-1800s
I think it's really interesting that schools back then taught more useful things in the vein of "Real Life" classes, as one frustration that I and many other teenagers feel is why we will ever need to use certain things we learn in school, such as complex calculus, in our lives. Apparently, there is a movement, although not very much acknowledged, to teach some of these "Real Life" subjects again in a modern age. The proposed subjects would be things like taxes, medical training, computer coding, budgeting, and sustainable living.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/13/things-schools-should-teach_n_4576389.html